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[rui_curado]

At Zorean we are developing a real-world forensic adventure game called Mark Lane's Logs: Project H.U.M.A.N.. We would call it a Forensic Alternate Reality Game (F-ARG). The game features an entirely new format and gameplay.

The Game's Format

The player starts with just a SMS message from Mark Lane. From there, he has to reproduce Mark's steps, find what he found, and live a discovery adventure like he did. The idea is to make the player feel that he's uncovering a real case. The game is heavily based on real-world facts and news, and is highly visual. Hundreds of photos will let the player revive Mark's adventure as if he was there:

These are actual photos found in the game. Because the game runs on clues, and not on software, there are no screenshots that can be presented to you.

What are the game items? What clues can you find? See more here: http://zorean.com/marklane/gallery.html

The game is still played on a computer device, but there is no software. The player is enticed to take the challenge and go out to cyberspace looking for things that will help him discover and solve the case. Still, leaving the computer can help in some parts of the game. The truth is somewhere out there, on the Internet. He's out in the wild. The Internet is millions of times bigger than a computer game sandbox. It's a kind of 21st century treasure hunt, but much more complex, mixed with cryptography, problem-solving, forensic work, intertwined with a strong narrative featuring a Hollywood-style plot.

Due to the special characteristics of the game, it can be played on any computer or tablet (Windows, Linux, Mac, iOS, Android) as long as there is access to roam the Internet.

The game's concept is detailed on an article that was featured in Gamasutra:
http://www.gamasutra.com/blogs/RuiCurado/20130619/194597/Designing_a_Forensic_Alternate_Reality_Game.php

The game has also been featured on specialized websites:
http://www.dfinews.com/news/2013/06/zorean-unveils-first-real-world-digital-forensics-game

The challenge is slated for release on September 27.


Important URLs

The game's official website:
http://www.zorean.com/marklane

The game's trailer at YouTube:




The game's blog can be followed at IndieDB:
http://www.indiedb.com/games/mark-lanes-logs-project-human


The Story

Mark Lane, retired CIA agent, is forced to carry out one last mission: dismantle an elusive terrorist organization, infiltrated in the American military, and the CIA. A swarm-type device is being developed, right under DoD's nose. An attack on US soil is imminent. Mark carries out a solo worldwide intelligence mission to eliminate this threat. However, he finds more than he expected. He finds a secret society. He finds himself in the middle of a federal conspiracy to steal the Pentagon's ultimate weapon. He is betrayed by those he trusted and is set to die as a traitor to the USA. He dodges his destiny by escaping, but is fiercely hunted down. He has nowhere to go. You're Mark's last hope. He left a trail of evidence that you must uncover. Find out what happened, collect enough evidence, and bring the case to justice.


Other Updates:

We will also post updates on these pages

https://www.facebook.com/MLL.Project.Human
https://plus.google.com/u/1/109683969376114179974
https://twitter.com/marklaneslogs

[Superb Joe]

here's another to add to your list:

"Zorean is just Korean with one letter changed to make a real word not a real word. Additionally, I've done some independent research and come to a conclusion: Mark Lane is not even a Korean name. This is the most dastardly, fraudulent, exasperating thing I have come across in many years. It's very difficult for me to read the entire pitch, due to me extremely not caring, but I got as far as them calling their game a FARG, and given what I found out about their partial substitution cipher it seems reasonable to infer that they want me to smell their farts. I refuse to smell their farts, read past the first paragraph, or indeed play any game that may eventuate from whatever this bloviating self promoter seeks to achieve."

[rui_curado]

"Superb" Joe, since you are so "superb", can you tell me what is the format of the DevLog posts?

If this is our first post (noticed the 40% icon?), can't we just explain how the game works? Can't we tell what is the story? Can't we tell what are their strong aspects?

Aren't you proud of the things you do? We are. Isn't every developer here proud of his/her work?

If you didn't waste your time writing inappropriate things for a veteran member, you would have noticed the links that clearly explain the game's mechanics, and the link to the blog that reports the game's evolution up to this point.

[Superb Joe]

as a general rule you should 1. disregard everything i say and 2. detail the development process of your game in a devlog. i'm curious about how you intend to do that with an arg since you probably want to play a lot of things close to your chest assuming anybody ever actually plays it. thank you for your time and happy holidays.

[rui_curado]

Thank you for replying, Joe. I was disappointed with your reaction. As the first post, I had to introduce the game's concept, in very best possible light, of course.

We're starting this DevLog today. We'll post future progress here and on IndieDB.

Joe, I think I didn't deserve such a negative reaction.

[moi]

remove your second post, post informative game screenshots, talk about the game and don't expect us to go to your links, and, as a general rule, don't post as if tigsource was a marketing channel and it should be okay.
the negativity was deserved. We are people, with a heart.

[Superb Joe]

what does H.U.M.A.N stand for

[rui_curado]

Second post deleted, original post improved

[rui_curado]

Joe, finding what H.U.M.A.N. stands for is part of the game.

[Cyman]

"Zorean is just Korean with one letter changed to make a real word not a real word"

That's your opinion. I think it is Zor and DeLorean.

"I got as far as them calling their game a FARG"

That wasn't a very nice term to call themselves.